Welcome the Half Blood Prince
by Slytherin Redeemed
Summary: [DEATHLY HALLOWS Spoilers!][SSLE, JPLE][Updated 7.29.07] It was the first smile Severus Snape, feared Occlumens, Legilimens, and Head of Slytherin, renowned Potions Master, and ultimately Headmaster of Hogwarts, had had on his face in a good long while.


_Edited on July 29th, 2007._**  
**

**Disclaimer**: _Harry Potter _is a series by J.K. Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, and all others who have brought _Harry Potter _to life, whether it may be in movies, books, audio readings, or even video games. There is no copyright infringement intended with the writing of this non profit work, written only for the sole purpose of entertainment.

**Title and Author**: _Welcome the Half-Blood Prince_, by Slytherin Redeemed

**Fandom**: Harry Potter

**Summary**: It was the first smile Severus Snape, feared Occlumens, Legilimens, and Head of Slytherin, renowned Potions Master, and ultimately Headmaster of Hogwarts, had had on his face in a good long while.

**Pairings**: Severus/Lily, James/Lily

* * *

**THERE ARE SPOILERS FOR  
**_**HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS  
**_**IN THE FANFICTION BELOW! IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK,  
AND WOULD NOT LIKE IT TO BE SPOILED FOR YOU, THEN  
****DO NOT GO ANY FURTHER!**

Now that that's taken care of...

**Welcome the Half-Blood Prince  
**_By Slytherin Redeemed. Beta-Read by Kathryn Strait._

* * *

Severus Snape knew that, in all his life, he had been a foolish man. Now, for someone such as Severus Snape, he could have blamed a great number of people for this. He could have blamed his mother, Eileen Prince, for falling in love with a Muggle. In return, he could have also blamed his father, Tobias Snape, for making his mother fall in love with him. Outside of his family, he could have possibly blamed his foolishness on the Slytherins that he was around during his Hogwarts years—Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange, and the lot of them—and he could have possibly blamed Voldemort, too. He could've blamed the very flaw in who was otherwise a very intelligent man on James Potter, on Sirius Black, but he supposed he could not extend the blame onto Remus Lupin, or to Peter Pettigrew, although he regretted ever coming into contact with the latter. Severus could have even placed his blame on Dumbledore, for Merlin's sake—the man had him wrapped around his finger, willing to do every bit of his bidding, and Dumbledore knew that Severus would only question him minimally. 

But for whatever reason, Severus Snape, with all of his hatred, and all of his anger, and all of the _darkness_ that was in him... Despite all of that, he could never, _would _never place the blame on the very first _true _friend that he'd ever had.

Lily Potter.

She was the very reason Severus _breathed_, damn it all. He had betrayed Voldemort for her, for heaven's sake, even though he knew playing both sides of the game was a dangerous thing. He had betrayed Voldemort for her, and willingly did so, because Severus _loved _her. Because Severus _never _stopped loving her.

And his Patronus was all the proof Severus Snape ever needed.

His Patronus had never always been the doe that it was now, that it had been when it had helped Harry find the Sword of Gryffindor. His Patronus had always been what others might have expected it to be—a snake, for whatever it was worth; a traitor in the midst of lions. But it had changed when Lily Potter died. James' Animagus form, Severus knew by firsthand knowledge, was a stag; Lily's Patronus, on the other hand, was a doe. He sneered, because he knew that they were male-and-female counterparts of each other, proving their oh-so wonderful 'undying love' for each other. But Severus couldn't have helped it when his Patronus had one day shifted from snake to doe.

Severus knew he wasn't worthy, but he was happy, because it did not always have to come down to looking into the Potter boy's eyes to see Lily. He could merely cast _Expecto Patronum_, and there, _Lily's _Patronus would prance out of his wand, look at him directly, and then dance as it would fade away into the darkness of his chambers.

It was a strange feeling now, as he transferred all of his memories into the flask in the Potter boy's hands. Harry Potter's eyes weren't looking directly at him, but he could see Lily's fiercest look in those eyes, full of determination and so damn _expressive _as they were. He had released his memories now, and although it was all he could do to talk—he could feel Nagini's poison circulating through him—he spoke, knowing that the life was being drained out of him every moment he did.

"Look...at...me..." he said, and Potter did that, looking at Snape with his eyes, with _Lily's _eyes, and they were the only thing he had his focus on, even as sight slipped further and further away from him.

_- x -_

When Severus opened his eyes next, he did not expect to see white clouds lazily drifting on the sky. He did not expect to hear the birds chirping as they flew above him, did not even expect the _birds_. Least of all, when he sat up and felt the back of his neck, he did not expect that the wound would be gone so easily. He looked around, seeing nothing but tall green grass, and lines were on his forehead as he thought of any possible explanation as to why he was even here.

"Took you long enough to get here, Snape," said a voice, and he looked up to see someone who he had least expected to show up wherever he was.

Severus' mouth curled in contempt as he gazed into those damned hazel eyes. "Potter," he spoke softly, although his eyes narrowed.

"Like I said," James Potter told him. "It took you long enough to get here. Lily's been asking for you ever since Professor Dumbledore came to see us after Remus showed up, and she just won't keep quiet." Although his tone was malicious, his eyes brightened with joy as he spoke his wife's name.

"_Lily's _been—?" Severus started, but another voice spoke and interrupted him.

"Yes, Snivellus, _Lily's _been asking for you," said Sirius Black, his gray eyes staring down at Snape, whose eyes narrowed even more at the name the gray-eyed man had used to address him. "Although I really don't think I'll ever understand why."

"_Down_, Sirius," a third voice chuckled lightly, and Severus' eyes did not even need to flicker to the right of Sirius to know that it was Remus Lupin who was speaking to him.

Amber eyes met black, and Remus gave Severus a small smile, holding his hand out to Snape. "You may not believe it, Severus," he said quietly, "but Lily _is _waiting for you."

Out of the three present, Severus knew that it was only Remus' word he would ever actually place trust in. He took his once-colleague's hand, and stood up, and that was when he truly had the chance to _look _at those around him. James was James, as young as he was when he died, his black hair still unkempt, and his hazel eyes still hidden behind his glasses. Sirius was younger than Severus had recently seen him, much younger, the horrors of Azkaban no longer seen in his face, his shoulder-length black hair framing his aristocratic face, and his gray eyes full of _life_. Remus looked different, too, his amber eyes brighter than they had ever been before, and his face was without fear, no longer having to hide from the Dark Lord or from the rest of the Wizarding society who might frown at him.

Severus dusted off his robes, and as he walked with the three Gryffindors, the scenery changed. It was Muggle London, he bitterly noticed, and it was that small playground where he'd first caught glimpse of Lily, back then still an Evans, that was their destination. He looked around, and he knew that if he turned around, he probably could glimpse his old home. He frowned deeply at the thought of it.

It was a short, but noisy walk, James and Sirius chattily catching up with each other, either one of them or the both of them bursting out laughing every few moments. Remus fell into step beside Severus, and then said quietly, "It's not just us who look younger, Severus. You look different, too."

Severus pursed his lips. "Is that so."

Remus gave him another small smile, "It looks as though you've not even fallen into ranks with the Death Eaters yet. You've no lines on your face, and I can't see any of Voldemort's horrors in you."

"Perhaps I just hide them so well," Severus said, and Remus' smile merely widened.

"Well then, we'll just ask Lily, won't we?"

Severus' feet stopped as though glued to the cement sidewalk, only then realizing that the other three had stopped walking as well. In front of him, on the same swing he had met her on, all those years ago, as beautiful as she always was with her red hair cascading around her beautiful face, her green eyes looking at him with surprise and with happiness, was Lily Evans Potter. Severus watched as though enchanted, his eyes never leaving her as she stood up and ran toward him, tears falling down her cheeks, and his black eyes widened as Lily wrapped her arms around him.

"Severus!" she sobbed as she tightened her grip around him, and Severus hesitantly wrapped an arm around her, looking warily in James' direction.

He was never good at soothing other people—his appearance was enough to frighten them away, as it was—but as he gently rubbed circles on her back, her sobbing subsided, and she pulled away; Severus was careful not to give away his disappointment at the loss of warmth.

"I can't believe it's you," she breathed as she looked at him, taking in his appearance. "I really can't believe it's you."

Severus was at a loss for words, but he chose them carefully as he told her, "Neither can I, Lily."

Lily looked at James, Sirius, and Remus, and James smiled softly at her, before he ushered his two best friends away. He gave Snape a solemn look, before he nodded, and walked away with Sirius and Remus.

Lily grabbed Severus' hand, and led him to the swings, where she promptly sat down and invited him to sit down next to her. He did, feeling so childishly foolish while doing so. She was quiet for a few moments, and where Severus was expecting something else altogether, she told him, "Thank you."

Severus looked at her, shock evident in his eyes and his slightly open mouth. "I—I beg your pardon?"

She stared at him, her eyes still the same as ever, still carrying that fierceness when she confronted him about the Death Eater Slytherins that he had surrounded himself with. "Thank you," she repeated. She made a gesture with her hand. "For protecting Harry."

He could not bear to look her in the eye then. "I don't deserve the thank you, Lily," he responded quietly. "It is _my _fault that the boy grew up without father and mother."

"I know," said Lily. "But I don't blame you."

Severus stood up and stared at her incredulously. "How can you find it in your heart to _not _blame me, Lily?"

"Tell me why I should blame you, Severus," she replied calmly, her green eyes glowing with defiance, her chin held up—she could have passed for the most aristocratic of pure-bloods that moment. "_Tell me _why I should blame you and only you. Why shouldn't I blame Peter? Why shouldn't I blame him, eh, Severus? Tell me why I should blame you, and not the wizard who killed me, Severus. Tell me why I should blame _you _and not _Voldemort_!"

Lily took a deep breath after all of that, and Severus met her eyes squarely. He had no response for her.

She started again, "We were in the midst of war, Severus. We were all _afraid_. I can't blame you for siding with him, Severus, if you thought his side was the safest, was the winning side." She gave a tiny smile here. "After all, what reason would there be to side with the losing side, eh, Severus?"

His voice was small, as soft as it had ever been, but it was all the honesty he had left in him, and all the love that he still had for her, that was in the one word he told her. "You."

The red-haired woman looked at him. "Excuse me?"

"You," he repeated simply, and did not elaborate any further.

Lily looked down as a blush crept onto her fair cheeks.

"Potter," he spoke as he gazed away from her, but then corrected himself, "_Harry_ has your eyes."

She looked up at him again, smiling brightly. "I know."

"I'm sorry," he told her as he faced her again, and raised a hand to stop Lily from protesting. "I'm sorry that I'd called you a Mudblood, Lily; I was furious at Potter and Black, then, and my anger was unrestrained. I'm sorry that I'd gotten you killed, Lily, that I'd gotten you and James killed, that I'd threatened your son's life."

"But you've been protecting him, Severus," said Lily, and she stood up and placed a comforting hand on his cheek. "You've been protecting him, Severus. I know you have."

Severus gave a short, unpleasant laugh as he looked away from her once more. "He could have once not been born a Potter," he whispered, his voice sounding fragile. "He could have once lived with both of his parents, Lily."

"I know that, too," said Lily as she wrapped her arms around him again, "and I've sometimes wondered how different Harry might have been, had you been his father." He felt her smile against the fabric of his robes. "But either way he would have turned out, I would have loved him with all of my heart, Severus, and I do."

There was a moment of silence as Severus took his time, taking and releasing a deep breath, gathering his all of his courage as he questioned her, "You've known for a long while, then, haven't you, Lily?"

Once more, Lily pulled away from him, looking up at the slightly taller youth, meeting his eyes with hers, the smile never leaving her face.

"I've known for a long, _long _while, Severus," she told him. "In fact, James was in a rather jealous fit earlier today when Professor Dumbledore appeared shortly after Remus did and told him what might have happened to you. Sirius, as you might know, was whopping with joy until he realized that you would be coming here, although Remus seemed quite enthusiastic."

"Potter?" His tone was incredulous. "In a jealous fit?"

Lily gave her beautiful laugh, "Yes, well. I think it was because I'd said something along the lines of _'Severus? Are you sure, Professor? _Severus _might be coming here? I've missed him so much!'_"

Severus gave Lily the tiniest of his smiles.

And no matter how small it was, Lily's smile brightened and her green eyes, her _beautiful _green eyes were filled with happiness, because it was the first smile Severus Snape, feared Occlumens, Legilimens, and Head of Slytherin, renowned Potions Master, and ultimately Headmaster of Hogwarts, had had on his face in a good long while.

Lily grasped his hand, and then began leading him in the direction of one of the houses lined up against the opposite side of the street. "Now, come on, Sev," and he gave another of his tiny smiles at the nickname Lily had fondly used. "If we don't hurry, Nymphadora will be angry at us because we'll have missed the feast she and I have worked so hard on."

Severus raised an eyebrow, but followed Lily nonetheless, "Feast?"

Lily nodded. "The feast to welcome home the Half-Blood Prince."

_-fin-_


End file.
